Handgun Hunting Predators?

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smirker

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Dont see much talk about taking predators with handguns. I assume sombody on the forum is up too the challenge. What guns and calibers are you guys shooting?
I have been playing with .32 Magnum's and .327 Magnums lately.
 
Most that I know who have tried it want to take a coyote with their pet caliber.
The ones I have called for or witnessed spook the coyote or miss the shot.
 
I have a Savage Striker, in 308 Win, with a 2-7x Burris on it. It has a sling, and is light to carry, when slung up. I have carried it a few times, when I was expecting shotgun distance, so the primary was my Browning Gold 10, and the Striker was for a rare rifle range shot. I only have 130 gr. Barnes TTSX loads worked up for it, and on the one coyote I shot with them, it turned the front of Wiley into a floppy bag of mush, with two sizable holes. It was quartering towards, and the entry was on the shoulder blade...Normal places were thin skinned bullets splash...Not so for the TTSX.
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Nice combo, but my shooting skills, with the Striker drop off around 150 yards, without hauling my BogPod around. If I re-barreled the Striker, it would make for a better choice. I was thinking 6x47 Lapua, or 6mm Creedmoor, but I have never got serious about that project. But in concept it worked well for the terrain I hunt.

Squeeze
 
I have a buddy on the Western Slope that uses a TC .223 Contender with a scope. He keeps his shots about 100 yards and he does OK...he just like to hunt with the pistol
 
I have killed them with a custom 45 ACP with 185g speer gold dots with a load of 9.6g of AA#5, and a Ruger GP 100 with Sierra 125g HP loaded with 17.8g of IMR 4227. I replaced the sights on the ruger to a V notch rear sight and a beade front sight, you could really get a fine hold, and along with a super light trigger made for super accurate pistol. The 357 killed quicker than the 45, except on Javelina.

I was hunting in Az at the time, thickish places were shots were within 50 yards. I had several coyotes pick me up due to the glare on the SS finish, Wal Mart camo duct tape fixed that.

I sat on a small fold up stool, back into a carved out section of a bush, pistol in hand, safety off on the 45 ready to fire, or hammer cocked back on the 357. I have had them fleer from the safety being clicked off on the 45 and the hammer being cocked on the 357....this will really piss you off when it happens. Both of these pistols had around a 2 lb single action trigger pull.

Filled my Javelina tag every year with one of the above pistols using a coarse sounding hand call, Weems Duo Tone.

Hunting coyotes with a scoped pistol, eh, well....that is a tough sport. More often than not, they are moving when you take the shot.
 
I shoot a 7BR in a MOA Maximum I used to use in IHMSA Silhouette years ago. Have a 5x long eye relief scope. Does pretty good out to 200 using shooting sticks.
 
Here in the upper Midwest coyote shots don’t come easy. When I do get a shot, I want them dead. Nothing wrong with a challenge, some do it. If all I had was a handgun, better than nothing.
 
I have used a number of different single-shot specialty pistols, to kill coyotes and bobcats. right around the 700 yard mark is my longest yote kill with a XP.
 
I use a T/C Contendor in 256 win inside 100 yards easy to load for and shoot i have shot a couple dozen coyotes with it. I also have same caliber rifle barrel to go on it with rifle stock. Like the round alot for 100 yards and in .
 
Shot them with Ruger single action 357 and 44 mag and a couple with a 9mm 1911. They all worked at about 25 yards. 9 was the most fur friendly but have only used hardball.
 
I also shoot a T/C Contender Pistol in 256 Win Mag 10" octagon and 14" Bull Barrel. Great little Round [ 357 mag necked down 25 cal ]very accurate and kills Predators DRT. Get your self one you'll like it. Need to hand load.
 
I use a performance center 629 quite often with 180 grain hand-loads. Where I hunt it’s rare to get a second shot, and for my style of hunting it works great.
 
so if were talking actual pistol cartridges, the thought has crossed my mind also. It would take a lot better shot i think, but inside 50 yards it would be doable with a pistol. Same range really as most shotgun coyotes from what ive heard. A pistol should be a bit faster to engage with than a shotgun, depending on the shooter i suppose. Ive done a ton more training with pistols, and qualification included 50 meter targets. Id prob feel more confident with a 9mm or 45 acp than a 12g, but i know that shotgun would be more likely to get the job done!

Far as im concerned, if your shooting a rifle cartridge (.223, 22-250, 308, etc) from a pistol configuration, might as well just shoot the rifle and leave less chance for error and wounded animals. Cant say that i would go calling with one of those as my primary weapon.
 
Pistol vs. Shotgun? No contest for us mere mortals, the shotgun wins. Unless maybe you're Jerry Miculek.
 
I totally agree. I know i would be more likely to get the kill w a shotgun also. I just havent done much shooting with them and grew up shooting pistols. My familiarization is with the 9mm and 45 acp way more so than 12g so thats where my confidence is. That is also with an a zone silhouette target though, not coyote vitals. Where 1 #4 shot shell might get the job done, it might take 3 9mm hits (keyword!) plus a lot of tracking for the same result.
 
I've killed a few foxes with a 45 acp handgun in the past. I regularly shot rabbits and squirrels with a Model 13 Smith HB with custom sights shooting 148gr wadcutters out of a 38 special case. It is just a matter of wanting to do it and practicing for it. Practice shooting from your favorite stand position at various ranges once you get to the point where you can't keep the first shot in a desert plate you know how far you can take one, anything beyond that range you are just hoping to kill one. It is pretty much the same with any weapon.

I practice shooting my bow from 15 to 25 yards sitting which will work well for the country I hunt in. I haven't killed a coyote with the bow on purpose but hope to this year.

I practice with my rifle the same way.
 
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I've shot a few with a 7.62x25 Tokarev. One from about 25 yards standing still,on the first shot anyway. The other from 50 or so while it was running away. Neither one got away or needed to be tracked down and I was using 85gr. FMJ. So shooting a good Hollowpoint would be even better. I have also screwed up a stand by choosing to take that pistol and called in 5 coyotes on one stand. Didn't kill a single one on that stand,just made a bunch of noise.

It can be done. A 9mm or .45acp either one would kill a coyote. But I'd much rather have a shotgun loaded with #4 buck or BB shot for close range coyotes. But if you're good with a pistol I say give it a go. Not everyone has shot a coyote with a pistol so you might as well be someone that has.

Regardless of what you use whether it's a pistol,shotgun or rifle,if they're still moving after you shoot them just keep shooting. If they catch a second wind they'll run off and die.
 
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